A Video Visit to New York City

I recently enjoyed a trip to the National Speakers Association Convention in New York City. During some free time, I took a good number of pictures of the Times Square area. Some of those shots make up the video essay you'll see below. I was amused by a challenge I experienced doing night photography: With all the lights, it really doesn't get all that dark. So certain night shots just can't be captured like they would elsewhere. But at the same time, the illuminated conditions do make it easier to capture action in both the foreground and the background.

Communication Lessons from NYC

You can learn a lot about culture and communications by studying a city. During a recent trip to New York City, I took some time to observe and absorb the famous Times Square. While there you are distracted by countless marketing messages. At times, you can't absorb it all and I'd find myself not noticing a lot of details or stores that I couldn't see due to sensory overload.

Like many tourists, I took countless photos and I got used to seeing people taking snapshots. It seemed like everyone had a camera and I'm probably making a cameo appearance in many pictures.

The signs that caught my attention the most tended to be big, bold, and memorable. I felt sorry for some of the street vendors as they have to compete with such imposing messages. At the same time, I was grateful for the police who keep the area from becoming a pick pocket zone.

I've put together a video report about some communications principles I noticed in Times Square and you can access the clip below: